Selectboard Packet 12-02-2020
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Town of Norwich Agenda for Selectboard Meeting December 2, 2020,6:30 pm - Remote Meeting ZOO M access : https://uS02web.zoom. u slil 8 1 292337 26 1 Meeting lD: 812 9233 7261 US Toll-free: 888-475-4499 Telephone number to call if unable to access meeting: 845-282-0686 Estimated start & end Agenda ltem Action Packet Materials time Chair: will ask to add/remove/reorder agenda 1- Approval of the agenda (5 items nla 6:30 - 6:35 minutes) Public invited to speak to any item not on the (to 2- Public and Selectboard comment nla 6:35 - 6:45 agenda completion) Correspondence received 3- Consent Agenda Accept correspondence submitted timely, (list attached at the end of 6:45 - 6:55 (10 minutes) minutes 11118120 & 11111120, NP warrants agenda), minutes, A/P warrants 4-Request from Fire Warden for Approve grant application request for wildland Supporting documents (10 approval for grant submission fire equipment-motion required 6:55-7:05 minutes) 5-lndependent auditor's report Discussion of FY20 audit Final audit 7:05-7:5O(45 minutes) BREAK 7:50-8:00 (10 minutes) See proposed draft FY2022 Discussion of budget from: budget at 6-Department budget and Capital 1. Town Manager (admin) http :i/n o rwich. vt. us/wp- budget presentations (by order of 2. Energy Committee contenVuploads/2020/1 1 /FY202 appearance on monthly reports) 3. Town Clerk 2- Pro posed- DRAFT- Budq et-for- 4. Finance Office website.pdf BREAK 5 minutes See proposed draft FY2022 Discussion cont'd: budget at Board of Listers http://norwich.vt. 7-Department budget cont'd 5. us/wp- 6. Planning and Zoning co nle ntl uolo adsI 2020 I 1 1 I F Y 202 7. Recreation 2- Pro posed- D RAFT-Budq et-for- 8. Police website.pdf Estimated start & end Agenda ltem Action Packet taterials time 8-Town Manager Update to include Verbal report on critical November financial reports (if Discussion updates; Nov. financial reports available) 9- Adjourn Motion required Way too late List of correspondence received before 12 pm on Thursday, Nov 24,202O: Rob Nahabedian re: town sidewalks; Stuart Richards re: town sidewalks; Chris Katucki re: Green Fleet Working Group; Charlotte Metcalf re: infrastructure priorities; Mt. Ascutney grant presentation slides from 1111812020 SB meeting Possible Nov/Dec ltems : COVID-19 update; Trails Committee discussion/website and Nick K memo; policy revisions-conservation fund policy, Animal ordinance, SB correspondence, cyber security; FD ladder truck; budget discussions/Capital lmprovement Plan; Beaver Meadow scoping project results of public hearing; Tracy Hall proposal memo; Climate change designated fund indications for use proposal; applications to open positions, Solaflect contract; Parking Lot: Financial Procedures; SB Goal setting; Emerald Ash borer town response; Green Fleet proposal; Juneteenth resolution discussion and plan; Town Plan work; Personnel Policies re-write 2 Norwich Selectboard Meeting December 2,2020 fe" j Herb Durfee From: ROB NAHABEDIAN < [email protected]> Sent: Monday, November 23,2020 9:04 PM To: norwich@ lists.vitalcommu nities.org Cc: Herb Durfee; cbrochu30@g mail.com Subject: SIDEWALKS dare I say No, here's why I can not attempt to be as thoughtful and thorough as Jack Candon was in his fine letter not long ago on this list. Stuart Richards shares the link to Jack's letter in his recent post. lt is certainly worth a click to read why a New Sidewalk, on a section of Beaver Meadow Road, may not be the thing to do now, or even in the future. The point I wish to make is a simple one, which I think can alleviate some of the impetus for this project. A pedestrian walking on the sidewalk by the Norwich lnn turns left on Beaver Meadow Rd, they cross Beaver Meadow using the crosswalk at the cemetery and continue on the sidewalk until they reach Huntley Street. lt is here that the sidewalk ends and a new sidewalk is being proposed. Why not simply turn right and walk less than 2 tenths of a mile along Huntley Street which rejoins Beaver Meadow Road. Huntley has much less traffic than Beaver Meadow, you eliminate walking on a relat¡vely sharp curve on Beaver Meadow, and there is virtually no change in distance being walked. Now you are able to continue walking along Beaver Meadow on a fairly broad shoulder going by The Legion Hall, and the newly redone shoulder along Blood Brook, virtually all the way to Moore Lane. A very safe route in my opinion. Walkers coming from Turnpike, to Moore Lane, and turning onto Beaver Meadow can do the same thing. For cyclists, I would say that Beaver Meadow is no more or less dangerous than almost any other main road through Norwich. Be that Union Village Road, Church, Hopson or Elm Streets. Riders should always use an abundance of caution and, in my opinion, always ride single file. I request this post be added to the Selectboard correspondence on this issue. Thank you for reading. Rob Nahabedian &; Herb Durfee From: Stuart Richards < [email protected] > Sent: Monday, November 23,2020 6:00 PM To: [email protected] Cc: Herb Durfee; Claudette Brochu Subject: FW:SIDEWALKS There's been a recent discussion about sidewalks and former Selectboard member, Jack Candon's letter is relevant. lt can be found here https://tinvurl.com/v2phprz6 I am also reprint¡ng the original letter I wrote: Have you heard that we're in the midst of a national pandemic? There are those who are hurting. There are those who have lost their jobs and are suffering psychologically, the economy is suffering and there are new lock down measures go¡ng into effect. Apparently these sad and difficult times have not reached those who want to spend SSOO,OOO for new sidewalks. lt reminds me of the recent thrust for renovating Tracy Hall (52,000,000), installing blinking lights or the effort by some to repave and widen main street and get rid of gravel all of which the public rejected. Then of course there was the road to nowhere that no one used that someone thought was a good idea (S12,000). Let's distinguish between what we need and what we're willing to pay for. It doesn't appear that there's ever been an accident on Beaver Meadow road so safety concerns shouldn't be an issue. I ride my bike and walk on Beaver Meadow and it works fine for me as is. The existing sidewalks in Town are badly in need of repair. Why aren't we taking care of them instead of talking about new sidewalks. Moreover I object to the suburbinazation of a town that doesn't need more sidewalks. Let's not drive more people out of town by spending money on projects that are not needed. l'd be interested to know how much has already been spent on sidewalks. I haven't received an answer to this question and I would much appreciate knowing how much has been spent on this project and how much is proposed to be spent. Stuart Richards Herb, Please put this in Selectboard correspondence. Miranda Berqmeier From: Chris Katucki <[email protected]> Sent: Monday, November 23, 2020 4:39 PM To: Miranda Bergmeier; Herb Durfee Cc: Miranda Bergmeier; claudette brochu; Roger Arnold; Linda Gray Subject: Green Fleet Working Group l)ear Selectboartl luctrtbcrs an<l'lown M:rnagcr f)url-cc Recently, dre Planning Conunission :rppointc<l a rc¡rrescnt¿rtivc to tltc Norwich ()recn Flcct Working Group. I am curious ¿rbou[ scvcral :rspccts of'this Working Group ¿ur<l woul<l apprcciatc inl'ormatiort with respcct to Lhc following qucstions. My prior cllorL to obtain inl'onnation dirl not. rcccivc a rlcfinitivc reply. Hcnce , this oflìcial correspon(lcncc to thc Selcctllo¿rrd ¿rntl'l'orvn Mzrnagcr. 1. Wrat is the purposc this \Morking (ìroup; 2. What is its cottrposition; 3. Will ttrc gcncral public bc invitcd to scrvc ¿rs nrctnbcrs ol'this Working Group; :rnd 4. l)ocs the Working Clroup intcnd to com¡rly with thc O¡tcn Mcctin¡; Law? As you arc awarc, thc Pl:rnning Conunission ncc<lcrl to consult extcnsivcly with'fou,n counsel in OcLollcr t<r 'for¡n underst¿rncl tfic ra¡rifìc¿rtions ol'inlornr¿rl working groul)s crcatcd in 2019 kr ¿rssist with drafiing.ol'thc Plan. Also, in August, thc Planning Cornmission <lissolvc<l its Wastewatcr \Morking Grou¡r in ortlcr Lo curc an O¡lcn Mccting Law viol¿rtion. In liglrt of'tlús |istory, 'foyyn é{ovcrnllìcnL shoukl nt¿rkc thc cll'orL l-o bc trans¡t¿rrcnl ¿rbout working é]roups anrl task f-orccs, reg'ardlcss ol'þow I'o¡ncrl. Anv "llo¿rrrl, council, or cotntnissiott" ol':r rnunicipality is a "public bo<ly" un<lcr the Opcn Mccting L:rw. In any cvcnt, it is probably zr go<xl prircticc Lo kecp thc public gcncrally inl'ormcrl aboul such initiatives. 'I'hank you in ¿xlvance f'or rcspon<ling to rny lour qucstions. Sinccrely, Chris Katucki 47 Old Coach Road Norwich, \rf 05055 1 Herb Durfee From: charlotte metcalf < [email protected] > Sent: Tuesday, November 24, 2020 1 1:52 AM To: Herb Durfee; claudette brochu; John Langhus; Mary Layton; Roger Arnold Subject: priorities Dear Herb lwouldappreciateitifth¡sletterwereincludedinthepacketforthenextSelectboardmeeting. sorryldonothavethe emails for everyone on the select board. Charlotte I have been troubled to see the consideration given to spending substantialamounts of money to build a new sidewalk on Beaver Meadow. lncreasing my concern about this as a priority is that the town budget under discussion for the coming year suggests we need an increase of 20% to address the myriad infrastructure problems that we have delayed An urgent infrastructure matter I have already reported is the crumbling chimney on Town Hall.